Attorney General Kathy Kane doing right by Pennsylvania workers

Govenor Corbett's plan for the Pa. lottery, sell it off to the highest bidder. Who stepped up, a British firm named Camelot whose interests in the lottery (and it's profits that normally benefit Pa. seniors) in unclear.

Attorney General Kane announced her decision at a press conference stating that the agreement between Corbett and Camelot violated the State Constitution, the State Lottery Act, and the State Gaming Act. Kane noted that the attorneys that conducted the review were the same attorneys that reviewed contracts when the Governor was Attorney General, as well as previous Attorney Generals. “Promising money to people in need based on a contract that is not legal and then blaming those entrusted to do their job correctly is both disingenuous and a perfect example of putting the cart before the horse,” Kane said.

AFSCME Council 13 Executive Director Dave Fillman said in a statement that Kane ‘made the right call.” “For our members and all 200 lottery employees, this couldn’t be a better Valentine’s Day present for them,” Fillman said. “We’ve maintained all along that this is an illegal contract and we’re obviously pleased that the Attorney General’s non-partisan legal staff has reached the same conclusion,” Fillman said in a statement. AFSCME has also mounted a legal challenge to the PMA, private management agreement, in Commonwealth Court and has been joined by several legislators.

Both President Bloomingdale and Secretary-Treasurer Snyder were also very pleased with the decision. “It will help ensure that the Pennsylvania lottery continues to serve Pennsylvania’s seniors instead of being used to siphon profits and bonuses for a few corporate executives overseas,” Bloomingdale said. Secretary-Treasurer Snyder added that “lottery employees could beat Camelot’s guaranteed profits by between 10 and 30 percent without giving away hundreds of millions in profits and revenue to a foreign company at the expense of seniors.”

Take a look at the this article and related articles from the AFL-CIO, and voice your support for AG Kane's position.